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Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Burlington, VT

000
NOUS41 KBTV 300900
PNSBTV
NYZ026>031-034-035-087-VTZ001>012-016>019-010000-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BURLINGTON VT
500 AM EDT TUE APR 30 2013

...SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK IN NEW ENGLAND AND NEW YORK...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE...ALONG WITH ALL THE NEW ENGLAND STATES
AND THE STATE OF NEW YORK...HAVE PROCLAIMED THE WEEK OF APRIL 28TH
THROUGH MAY 4TH AS SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK.

IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND HAZARDOUS WEATHER TERMINOLOGY IN
ORDER TO TAKE PROPER ACTION IF AND WHEN SEVERE WEATHER THREATENS.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS ISSUED...COVERING A LARGE AREA (SEVERAL
COUNTIES AND POSSIBLE STATES)...AND IS VALID FOR A LENGTHY PERIOD OF
TIME (4 TO 8 HOURS) WHEN CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE POSSIBLE
DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE WEATHER IN THE AREA. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
INCLUDES DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 58 MILES AN HOUR...HAIL OF 1
INCH DIAMETER OR LARGER...OR POSSIBLY A TORNADO. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ALSO CONTAIN DEADLY LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAIN CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FLOODS.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WILL BE ISSUED FOR A SPECIFIC AREA AND A
RELATIVELY SHORT PERIOD OF TIME (HOUR OR LESS) WHEN SEVERE WEATHER
IS IMMINENT OR OBSERVED.

A TORNADO WATCH IS ISSUED...COVERING A LARGE AREA (SEVERAL COUNTIES
AND POSSIBLE STATES)...AND IS VALID FOR A LENGTHY PERIOD OF TIME
(4 TO 8 HOURS) WHEN CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE POSSIBLE
DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE WEATHER...INCLUDING TORNADOES.

A TORNADO WARNING WILL BE ISSUED FOR A SPECIFIC AREA AND A RELATIVELY SHORT
PERIOD OF TIME (HOUR OR LESS) WHEN A TORNADO HAS BEEN DETECTED
BY DOPPLER RADAR OR HAS BEEN OBSERVED.

A FLOOD WATCH IS ISSUED...COVERING A LARGE AREA (SEVERAL COUNTIES AND
POSSIBLE STATES)...AND IS VALID FOR A LENGTHY PERIOD OF TIME (GREATER
THAN 6 HOURS) WHEN THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAINFALL DURING THE COURSE OF
THE WATCH PERIOD INCREASES THE POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING THAT MAY
ENDANGER LIFE AND PROPERTY.

IN THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN OF THE NORTH COUNTRY...HEAVY RAIN IN A
SHORT PERIOD OF TIME MAY LEAD TO DEVASTATING FLASH FLOODING.

A FLOOD OR FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL BE ISSUED WHEN OBSERVED RAINFALL
COMPARED WITH LOCAL FLOOD GUIDANCE INDICATES THAT FLOODING IS
IMMINENT OR WHEN FLOODING IS ACTUALLY OBSERVED.

WHEN YOUR AREA IS UNDER A SEVERE WEATHER WATCH...REMAIN CALM BUT BE
ALERT FOR CHANGING WEATHER AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION
IF A WARNING IS LATER ISSUED. WHEN A SEVERE WEATHER WARNING IS
ISSUED...TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO PROTECT YOURSELF. IF POSSIBLE...
GO TO A STURDY INDOOR STRUCTURE. IN A FLOODING SITUATION...MOVE TO
HIGHER GROUND.

DESPITE GREAT ADVANCES IN WEATHER DETECTING TECHNOLOGY...A NETWORK OF
TRAINED PERSONNEL AND A HOST OF SEVERE WEATHER PRODUCTS...EACH YEAR
PEOPLE DIE FROM WEATHER RELATED CAUSES BECAUSE THEY DID NOT KNOW
ABOUT THE WARNING.

A BATTERY OPERATED NOAA ALL HAZARDS WEATHER RADIO WITH TONE ALERT
CAPABILITIES IS ONE OF THE QUICKEST AND MOST RELIABLE WAYS TO
RECEIVE SEVERE WEATHER INFORMATION.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SEVERE WEATHER AS WELL AS FORECASTS AND OTHER
WEATHER INFORMATION...CHECK THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEB SITE AT
WEATHER.GOV AND FOR THE BURLINGTON OFFICE...CLICK ON VERMONT.

$$